The Nigerian government has announced the launch of a new immigration amnesty portal, set to go live in early July, offering a final window for foreigners who have overstayed their visas to regularise their stay before strict enforcement measures take effect from August 1.
At a stakeholders’ event held at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo issued a direct appeal to members of the diplomatic corps: “Encourage your nationals to make use of the amnesty. After July 31, we will enforce the law 100 percent.”
The amnesty, part of broader immigration reforms initiated in April, allows visa overstayers to avoid penalties and bans by applying for a legal Stay Permit via an online platform.
Starting August 1, however, those who remain non-compliant could face daily surcharges, as well as bans of up to 10 years from re-entering Nigeria.
Under the new rules, a $15 daily fee will apply to every day a foreign national remains in Nigeria after their visa expires.
Beyond financial penalties, overstays of six months or more will attract a five-year ban; those exceeding a year will face a decade-long exclusion.
The online portal offers a streamlined process: applicants can submit expired visa documents and supporting papers online, avoiding in-person appointments at immigration offices.
“This is not just about enforcement—it’s about efficiency, integrity, and cleaning up a system that had too many loopholes,” Tunji-Ojo said.
Tunji-Ojo also celebrated the successes of Nigeria’s passport and visa digitization efforts.
He revealed that the scrapping of a costly paper-archiving contract in 2023 now saves the country nearly ₦1 billion annually.
“Previously, applicants had to wait months and pay bribes of up to ₦500,000 for a ₦100,000 passport,” the minister noted. “We have ended that scarcity-driven corruption by going fully digital.”
According to the NIS, 99% of passport issuance is now completed through an end-to-end digital process, with only biometric capture and booklet collection requiring in-person visits.
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These tasks are scheduled in 20-minute slots to minimize queues.
The reforms, which began in earnest in January 2024, have also enabled contactless passport renewals using facial recognition.
The newly introduced electronic visa (e-visa) system processed over 14,000 applications in its first six weeks, the minister revealed.
He also confirmed the imminent launch of automated systems for the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (e-CERPAC) and the Temporary Work Permit (e-TWP).
“We are eliminating the loopholes. The abuse of TWP is over. Now it’s fully automated—just like e-CERPAC,” Tunji-Ojo asserted.
Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, added that new technologies such as e-Gates, a centralized Command and Control Centre, and digital exit/entry cards have been deployed to major airports.
“These tools are part of our digital transformation strategy to improve both national security and the traveler experience,” she said.
As Nigeria works to rebuild its global image and attract investment, the Interior Minister emphasized the importance of removing bureaucratic bottlenecks: “If getting a visa depends on knowing someone in government, we cannot grow. We are changing that.”